Tag: Bulibasha

Mahana, a movie based on renowned author Witi Ihimaera’s much-loved book Bulisbasha, opens this week in cinemas and I am extremely excited to see it. Here’s the trailer, which is bound to get you excited to see it too:

It was first hinted at over a year ago (we told you about it here!) and it is so great to finally see it hitting cinemas.

If you want to read the book before you see the movie, we recommend you get in quick as it’s already proving popular! Place your reserves here:

Bulibasha : king of the gypsies / Witi Ihimaera.
“Witi Ihimaera’s first novel for six years. Two patriarchs on the East Coast of New Zealand fight for the title of king, and their families are involved in conflict in sport and culture, and in the Golden Fleece contest. Simeon, a teenager, is caught in the middle of the struggle. The novel was written when Witi Ihimaera was Katherine Mansfield Fellow in Menton.” (Syndetics summary)

The whale rider / Witi Ihimaera.
“Witi Ihimaera’s timeless story tells how the courage of one girl in standing against the tide of tradition enables her tribe to become reconnected with their ancestral life force. The Whale Rider has become one of Witi Ihimaera’s best-loved stories, capturing readers with its universal themes of conflict between generations and genders, respect for nature, family love and personal courage. Now the movie adaptation, Whale Rider, has brought the story to an international audience. This special edition of Ihimaera’s original novel includes a section of photos from the movie, a bonus for moviegoers and readers alike.” (Syndetics summary)

Ihimaera’s novel Nights in the Gardens of Spain was also developed into a feature film called Kawa (originally also titled Nights in the Gardens of Spain) and is most definitely worth a watch (and a read!). You can get them both out here:

Nights in the gardens of Spain / Witi Ihimaera.
“A novel in which David Munro, the narrator, seems successful in marriage and in his career as a lecturer in film studies. He leads a double life, being married and gay, and the novel explores the resolution of the dilemma, the conflicting loyalties he has to deal with. The novel describes aspects of gay life, and the difficulties of developing relationships. It is very aware of the devastation of AIDS. The novel was written while Witi Ihimaera was Katherine Mansfield Fellow in Menton.” (Syndetics summary)

Nights in the gardens of Spain [videorecording] / Cinco Cine Film Productions Ltd and Conbrio Media Ltd.
“This feature film adaptation of Witi Ihimaera’s iconic novel about David, a successful businessman who inexplicably estranges himself from his wife and children. Turns out, he is having an affair with a young male actor and is torn between living that life or the one that he is expected to live by his immediate and extended family. Complicating matters is his family’s deep roots in the Maori culture, which disapproves of homosexuality. For a while, the family suspects that David is seeing a woman. But one night, the actor unexpectedly shows up at David’s family compound, where his mother catches the two in a passionate embrace. She immediately banishes David from the compound, leading him to reveal the truth to all who are important to him.” (Library catalogue)